


Twisted Strands

by lostmagician



Category: Cobra Kai (Web Series), Karate Kid (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon, Developing Relationship, Dirty Talk, Drama, Kissing, M/M, Porn With Plot, Possessive Behavior, Rough Sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-01
Updated: 2019-12-29
Packaged: 2021-01-05 17:27:52
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 14,577
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21212354
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lostmagician/pseuds/lostmagician
Summary: Johnny hasnoproblem getting laid, despite what Jimmy says. He doesn't need a stupid phone app to meet someone, and he's going to prove it by hitting on that hot piece of ass by the bar.What happens when the guy turns out to be Daniel LaRusso, the bane of his high school existence?(Or: the one where Johnny has to fight off twinks with a stick, Jimmy knows a little too much about Johnny's sex life, and Daniel is a BAMF)





	1. Crossing Point

**Author's Note:**

> In this universe, Johnny and Daniel are still old high-school rivals, they're just... gay. Expect lots of snark and hot sex.
> 
> Based on a prompt by Storyshark2005: Johnny walks into a gay bar and sees Daniel LaRusso for the first time since graduation. Idea inspired by this [Yelp review](https://imgur.com/a/VgqSJwp) of a gay bar in North Hollywood called "The Bullet".
> 
> Storyshark2005 also wanted Daniel and Johnny to be in their early thirties. Sorry, I wasn't able to do that! In this story, both are in their mid-forties.

Johnny pulled at the collar of his shirt as he entered the dive, his eyes slowly adjusting to the semi-darkness. The place was packed tonight, and he could feel it in the temperature of the room. The air was filled with the smell of cigarette smoke, sweat and spilled beer.  
  
He tried to avoid the throng of gyrating bodies as he made a beeline for the bar. People could say what they wanted about this place. They could call it crass, dirty, disgusting - but the truth was Johnny _loved_ it. It was one of a dying breed of gay bars, old-school action flicks playing on small TV screens, while 80's rock music blared from loud speakers.

“Hey Carl, can I get the usual?” he raised his voice over the crowd.

The bartender winked at him, and Johnny leaned against the bar, with his elbow on the counter. He rubbed a hand over his mouth, beard bristling against his fingers as he scouted the area tonight. He recognized a lot of the regulars, even nodded at a few of them when their gazes crossed each other. Soon, a bottle of Coors appeared at his elbow and he sipped beer as he continued his slow appraisal of the room.

Johnny snorted when his eyes landed on a familiar figure in the corner of the room, quiet among the bustle and the noise. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and wove his way through the crowd. Jimmy was so absorbed by his phone that he didn't notice Johnny until he sank into the booth seat in front of him.

“Are you still on that stupid Grater app?”

Jimmy let out a noise of frustration. “I lost him. The _one_ guy in Reseda who's interested in a serious relationship.” His finger was swiping furiously over the screen, and then he added, “And it's called Grindr, dumbass.”

“Whatever,” he said, leaning back and stretching his arm along the back of the seat. “It's such a waste of time.”

“No, it isn't.”

“Yeah, it is. What happened to just meeting guys at bars?”

Jimmy paused to give him a dead-pan look. “Because it's working so great for you.”

“What's that supposed to mean?”

“When’s the last time you got laid?” Jimmy asked, lifting an eyebrow.

Johnny pointed a finger at him. “Hey, I get laid plenty.”

“Really?” he asked, and something about his tone made Johnny's heart sink. “Sometimes you forget that I know you, Johnny. I _see_ you coming here every week, and most of the time, you don't even stick around. You just go back home early and order Chinese take-out. The world is cruel enough as it is.” He grabbed his phone and held it up in the air. “This just makes things a little easier.”

As though the world was trying to prove how cruel it could be, a long dark shadow fell over the table. Johnny tensed, not daring to look up. Maybe if he just ignored the shadow, it would go away— but no, a few seconds later, a sweaty hand tapped his arm.

He didn’t want Jimmy to think that he was right, but it was too late. Jimmy’s eyes were already twinkling with mirth, and he was leaning back in his seat as though he was going to enjoy a good show. Johnny shot daggers at him. The hand tapped him again, a little more insistently this time; he clenched his jaw and looked up.

“Hey,” the kid said in a deep voice, like he wanted to sound sexy, but it came off as nasally. “I'm Ted.”

Oh, Johnny knew who he was; he'd been following Johnny ever since their eyes accidentally met in the parking lot. He surveyed him now, taking in the blue bow tie, the two-piece white suit— Johnny's stomach turned, as his eyes travelled down his body, every new piece of clothing worse than the one before. At the end, it was the shiny white sneakers that did it for him.

“If I wanted an Ellen look-alike, I would have gone to the dyke bar across the street.” He jerked his chin in direction of the exit. “Now scram.”

The kid's face went red and he practically scurried away. Johnny watched with satisfaction as the other clearly underage kid who'd been eye-fucking him since he entered the place, choked on his drink from across the room.

“You're never gonna get laid that way,” Jimmy said in a sing-song voice, returning to his phone.

Johnny hunched his shoulders, no longer giving a shit. He took a deep pull of beer. He was so _sick_ of these little twinks coming up to him, and expecting what? Some kind of retelling of Fifty Shades of Puke? Was it too much to ask for, that he wanted someone his own size, someone with an actual presence, someone— like that guy at the bar.

His eyes narrowed. He hadn't noticed him when he'd first entered the place. The man stood alone with his hips cocked against the counter. From the back, he seemed tall and fit with a head full of dark hair and tight blue jeans that showcased a phenomenal ass.

Fuck, at this point, he just wanted someone remotely decent.

“We'll see about that,” he said, tapping the table and standing up.

Johnny licked his lips and headed toward the bar, heat already pooling in his lower belly. He was going to prove to Jimmy that he didn't need a stupid phone app to get laid; he could do just fine without it.

Once he got close enough to the guy, Johnny squared his shoulders and leaned forward. “Hey, care to join me for a drink?”

The guy turned around, and Johnny was about to dial up the charm by a hundred when he realized who it was.

Daniel LaRusso.

The bane of his high school existence, and the stumbling block to all his fortunes.

He looked exactly like he did thirty years, just a little rougher around the edges_._ He'd lost the baby fat on his cheeks, and gained a few fine lines around his mouth and on his forehead. Other than that, his features were still remarkably clear-cut: a long straight nose, a firm jaw, and the same doe-eyes that were now wide open like saucers.

Daniel recovered from the shock first. “You,” he said accusingly. He looked around quickly. “What are you doing here?”

“What am _I_ doing here?” he repeated in disbelief, because what else was he supposed to say? He felt like he'd entered the twilight zone, some kind of crazy alternate universe where he was meeting his old childhood rival _in a gay bar. _“I think the question is what are you doing here?” A thought rose, unbidden, and his voice dropped to a menacing growl. “Did Jimmy put you up to this?”

“What?” Daniel asked, as wariness gave way to confusion, and then in a harder voice, “My date picked this place.”

“Of all the places in Reseda, your date picked my favorite bar?”

“Yes.”

“Well, where's your date then, huh?” he asked, raising his eyebrows and making a show of looking around. “I don't see anybody with you.”

Daniel looked shocked for a second, before his face set in a scowl.

“That's because he stood me up, asshole. And are you seriously telling me this is your favorite bar? I don’t think the floors have been cleaned since Guns N'Roses broke up _in_ _1996_.”

“Way to change the subject, LaRusso— and yeah, maybe this place needs a little dusting.” He placed his elbow on the counter, internally cringing when a sticky residue dragged against the hairs on his arms. “But at least it has its charm, it has character.”

Daniel's eyes dropped down to his beard, before returning to his drink. “It’s not the only thing in need of a little dusting,” he said under his breath.

Johnny slammed his hand on the counter. “What?” he growled.

“Nothing,” Daniel said loudly, putting his hands up. “Geez.”

Johnny clenched his fists. He stared at Daniel, hoping that his death glare would send him barreling out, but Daniel just returned to his drink, unconcerned. Johnny worked his jaw back and forth, contemplating his next move. Daniel drove him insane; he'd come here with the intention of getting laid, but instead he was butting heads with the most aggravating man on the planet.

As he watched Daniel lick the rim of his glass, he thought of Jimmy’s words. _Most of the time, you don't even stick around. You just go back home early and order Chinese take-out. _He gritted his teeth, hating how the words rang true to his ears. He didn’t want to live in a world where Jimmy was ever right about his sex life.

So, he made a split-second decision. He flagged down Carl for another Coors. He'd already started the conversation, he might as well prolong the suffering a little while longer. Anyways, there was nobody else who was the least bit interesting in the entire dive tonight.

“So why did your date stand you up?” Johnny asked after a while in a tone that he hoped sounded casual. He nodded in thanks when Carl brought him his bottle.

Daniel snorted, stirring his drink with a straw. It wasn’t a girly drink by any means, a martini on ice with olives. “He said I was too old.”

Johnny rolled his eyes. “Let me guess, he was the same age as you, but when a small twink came into his life, fresh out of college, he dropped you faster than a ladies' skin mag.”

His head whipped around in surprise, like he hadn't expected Johnny to understand.

“Yeah,” he said slowly. “Man, what's wrong with wanting a relationship with someone your own age?”

Johnny hummed, secretly glad that someone finally shared his point of view. He'd been trying to explain the concept to Jimmy for _months_ now. He took a sip of beer, the cold drink refreshing to his parched throat.

They sank back into a comfortable silence.

“So, what did you do after high-school?” Daniel asked, running his fingers through the condensation on his glass.

Johnny shrugged. “I studied business, but never really got into it. So I’ve been doing odd jobs here and there. You?”

“I work in a car dealership.”

Johnny nodded slowly, and then asked the question that was gnawing at the back of his mind. “So you don’t do karate anymore?”

“No,” Daniel replied, eyes darting at him. “Do you?”

“No,” he said, and then because he loved seeing Daniel get worked up, “But that's because I'm still living on the high of having kicked your ass all throughout high school.”

_Of course,_ Daniel took the bait.

“Excuse me?” he asked, like he was unsure whether Johnny was being deliberately obtuse. Then in a slow tone, like he thought Johnny might have maybe forgotten, “I'm the one who won the All-Valley Tournament.”

“Yeah, with an illegal crane kick. It didn’t count.”

“Oh, and there was nothing illegal about your leg sweep?” he asked, his eyes flashing in anger as he turned towards Johnny.

He scoffed. “I barely touched you.”

“I have sciatica _in_ _my leg _because of you.”

“It's not my fault you're made of glass,” Johnny said, shifting on his right foot so that he was also facing Daniel.

He tried not to let the giddiness show in his expression at the sight of Daniel's body. Fuck, he'd forgotten how hot Daniel looked when when he was pissed. His lean arms were drawn tight to his sides, hands formed into tight fists. He looked like he was two seconds away from kicking the living shit out of Johnny, which only made it that much more exhilarating.

“You know what, Johnny. You're still the same arrogant and stubborn person you were in high-school.”

“And you're still hot-headed and uptight. I guess some things never change.”

That struck a nerve. “I'm not uptight, asshole.”

Oh, but he was. He held himself together like he was afraid of catching cooties from this joint. What was he even still doing here? Johnny watched him closely, trying to figure him out.

_He's looking for a rebound, _a little voice whispered inside of him, and for a second, Johnny imagined what it would be like to be that rebound— he pictured himself bending Daniel over the counter and taking him here and now, Daniel's face pressing into the dirty counter with every thrust of his hips, what sounds would he make? Would he bite into his lips, stifling his groans, or would he moan openly, begging for more—

“—are you even listening to me?” Daniel's angry voice broke through.

Johnny hummed in question, still stuck in his fantasy— and somehow it only riled him up more. He watched as the red flush spread down Daniel's neck and underneath his shirt. His nostrils flared; suddenly overwhelmed by a burning desire to discover how far the color went.

“You know what?” Daniel pressed a finger into Johnny's chest. “How about we end this argument for once and for all? You and me— outside.”

Johnny couldn't stop himself even if he wanted to. He drew closer, feeling the finger dig into his clavicle, until they all but shared the same breath. His voice dropped a register. “Or how about we end this with a quick dirty fuck in the bathroom?”

He hadn't expected the conversation to take such a sharp turn, but the heat that had been burning low in his belly was now spitting fire. Daniel dropped his hand in surprise, and then they just stood there, staring at each other. He watched in fascination as Daniel's pupils dilated, slowly overriding the browns of his eyes, until they were but two inky pools of darkness.

“Meet me in the bathroom, last door on the left,” he said, taking a step back and fishing a crumpled five-dollar bill from his pocket. He threw it on the counter, and with one last glance, he turned on his heel and headed for the bathroom, hoping that Daniel would follow him.

The advantage of being a regular at this bar was that Carl allowed him to use the employee bathroom. It was still dingy, peeling white walls and overhead light bulb that flickered every few seconds, but at least the linoleum floor wasn't covered in a sticky layer of Bud-light beer, and the stench of PrEP-scented urine didn't permeate the air. He leaned against the wall that faced the door and waited with his arms crossed over his chest.

It was only a few seconds before there was a sharp knock on the door. Johnny watched with bated breath as the handle turned and Daniel stepped in, back straight and eyes darting around the bathroom like he wasn’t sure they were allowed here. He pressed his lips together and locked the door behind him.

Then, it was just the both of them. Johnny dropped his arms and straightened to his full height. It felt like they were back at the All-Valley Tournament, electricity sizzling in the empty space between them, but instead of the sound of the crowd cheering, it was the sound of Bon Jovi muffled through the bathroom door; instead of fighting, they were getting ready to fuck.

Now that they were here, Johnny didn't care for playing chicken. He just wanted to get the ball rolling, so he pulled at his short sleeve, sticking his arm through the hole and removed his shirt, letting it slide to the floor. Daniel's eyes travelled over his torso, an admiring glance that made Johnny's blood pulse with pride.

“Now your turn,” he said, voice low and rough.

Daniel grabbed the bottom of his shirt and hesitated. A flash of uncertainty crossed his features, lips twisting at the sight of the floor. It's only when Johnny raised a pointed eyebrow that he snapped back into motion.

He removed his shirt in one fell swoop and let it fall to the floor— Johnny's eyes dropped down to his chest, but he barely had time to appreciate the view, because just as fast, Daniel was bending down to untie his shoelaces. Johnny's stomach tightened with dizzying arousal, as he watched Daniel unbuckle his jeans, and shove them down his thighs with his underwear, kicking them off his legs.

And then he stood tall, with his hands at his sides, his body as naked as the day he was born.

Johnny couldn’t breathe, it felt like all the air was trapped in his lungs. Daniel was a little on the skinny side, but Johnny wasn’t fooled— he knew first-hand what those limbs were capable of. His eyes roamed greedily over him, the firm ridges of his body, the way his thin waist tapered off to a neatly trimmed thatch of hair, the curve of his hard dick that twitched when Johnny laid eyes on it.

It seemed like Daniel had an exhibitionist streak.

Johnny approached him, his heart hammering in his chest; the bastard _knew_ what he was doing to Johnny, his lips curling into a small smirk. He placed his hands on Daniel’s waist, thumbs pressing into the hollow of his hips, and he felt a bolt of arousal when Daniel dropped his head slightly to the side. Johnny dipped his chin and let his beard scrape along the tendon of his neck, to the space where his pulse was beating rapidly underneath his skin. He let his lips rest there for a few seconds, reassured by the knowledge that Daniel was as affected by this as he was.

“No wonder you lost the Tournament,” Daniel said hoarsely. “You're all talk, no action.”

Johnny tightened his grip and flipped him around. Daniel immediately placed his hands on the wall and spread his legs. Johnny put his fingers in his mouth, covering them in a thick layer of spit, and pressed on Daniel's lower back with his other hand.

Once his fingers were wet and slippery, he reached for Daniel's ass. He started by playing with the rim, pulling it and stretching it softly. Daniel wasn't as tight as he'd thought he'd be, so he didn't spend too much time on the preliminaries - he pushed in his middle finger, fully expecting some level of resistance, but surprised when it slid in smoothly like a knife through butter.

It took a while for his lizard brain to catch on, but when it did, all the blood rushed straight to his groin.

“You actually prepped yourself for your date?” Johnny rasped, his head spinning with the realization. He let out a shaky breath, and bit behind his ear, feeling his beard graze against his neck, “You're such a cockslut.”

It took Daniel a while to register Johnny's words. When he did, he growled and twisted his upper body in a reverse elbow strike— but Johnny was prepared for it, he dodged it by jerking backwards, and then slammed Daniel fully against the wall, shoving in a second finger.

Daniel shuddered from head to toe, Johnny relishing every little gasp that left his mouth. Now that he knew that Daniel had already prepped himself, he allowed himself to be a little rougher, scissoring him and stretching him more liberally. After a while, he removed his fingers, rubbing them against one another, spreading the lube that Daniel had used, and then dipped back in with a third finger. He worked him open slowly, until Daniel began shaking, his whole body wired and ready.

Johnny withdrew his fingers and unbuckled his jeans, shoving them down his hips with his underwear. His cock was already leaking, fluid beading at the tip. He spit a few times in the palm of his hand and slicked himself up; then with one hand on Daniel's waist, and his other hand on his dick, he bent his knees and entered him slowly. His cock was much bigger than three fingers, so he paced himself at first, going in little by little; but once he passed the second ring of muscle, he didn't stop until he was buried to the hilt, his hip bones flush against Daniel's ass.

He pressed his forehead against the back of Daniel's head and stayed like that, getting used to the feeling of being inside him, encased in his tight heat— until Daniel started getting impatient, hips canting back. Johnny started rocking back and forth, at first in small increments to ease him in, and then gradually picking up a steady pace. It felt amazing, pinpricks of pleasure shooting down his spine with every thrust.

That's how they fucked for a while, Johnny grunting as he moved his hips in small, forceful circles, Daniel pushing back with every snap of his hips.

But as they got into the groove of things, Johnny began to feel like there was something missing. He couldn't put his finger on it, but it was important enough that his erection started to flag. Daniel dropped his head forward, his loud pants echoing in the small bathroom; and that's when it struck him, why he was having trouble keeping up the momentum.

From the back, Daniel looked like anybody else, just a stranger in a bar that he'd brought in for a dirty fuck in the bathroom. That's not what Johnny wanted, he didn't care about just having a willing body on his cock. He wanted Daniel to turn around and lash out with the rough edge of his tongue; he wanted those dark eyes to burn into him with unrestrained fury. He wanted some kind of _emotion_.

He sunk in as deep as he could and wrapped his arms around Daniel's middle. Daniel whined, moving his hips to spur him on, but Johnny just tightened his grip.

“Why did you stop karate?” Johnny asked between breaths.

“What?” Daniel asked in a ragged voice. Before Johnny could repeat the question, he wiped his forehead on his arm. “I don't know. Mr. Miyagi went back to Okinawa after the Tournament. Now, come _on—”_

But no amount of wriggling was going to get him out of Johnny's vice grip. His next words were on the tip of his tongue, like poison. He swallowed thickly.

“Is it because he found out that you liked taking it up the ass?”

He felt the muscles tense beneath his fingertips, and then Daniel was throwing his head back, skull connecting with Johnny's cheek. His dick slipped out of him and he staggered back, the side of his face flaring in pain.

Daniel turned around, teeth bared, and lifted his leg in a thrust-kick, but Johnny didn't give him a chance to connect again— he caught him by the bend of the knee and shoved him against the wall, Daniel bucked against him, but Johnny just held onto him tightly.

Short, blunt nails dug into his shoulders, stabbing into his flesh like little needles, but Johnny just mouthed at his neck, pouring his apology into a single kiss. His face was burning from where Daniel had struck him, but fuck, his blood sang with every throb.

Daniel panted at the ceiling with a clenched jaw, his pulse hammering in his throat. Johnny continued to kiss his neck, licking over his salty skin with the rough pad of his tongue— he slid his hand down Daniel's other thigh. He was still turned on, his dick a hard line against Johnny's stomach, and he didn't resist when Johnny wrapped his other leg around his waist and sank back in. He bit behind Daniel's ear and ground his hips a little, drawing a low moan from Daniel's throat. When he didn't push him away, Johnny picked up the pace again.

He felt a new surge of arousal in this changed position. He leaned back and soaked in Daniel's every reaction. His features were set in a scowl, like he was trying to stay angry, but his lip kept twitching every time Johnny struck that sweet spot inside of him.

He fucked Daniel, until all the tension melted away from his face, and his jaw went slack. Johnny's eyes dropped to his lips. He pressed their foreheads together; they were so tantalizing, red and shiny with spit— he leaned forward and caught them in a searing kiss. Daniel immediately responded, kissing in the same way that they fought and they fucked - hard and dirty, Johnny swallowing every moan, every gasp that escaped his mouth— and then they were no longer kissing, they were just panting against each other, lips brushing together with every thrust.

He kept going harder and faster, pumping in and out— the kiss had broken something in Daniel, he was openly moaning now. After a few thrusts, Johnny could feel his balls tightening, the telltale sign that started at the base of his dick. Fuck, he couldn't hold back much longer. He was going to— he gripped Daniel tightly by the waist and sank into him as deep as he could go— and then he was coming so hard, eyes squeezing shut and bursts of white flooding his field of vision. His entire body shook with the force of it, his dick pulsing over and over again, as he emptied his load inside of Daniel.

When his dick gave one final twitch, he dropped his head on Daniel's shoulder. They were both panting heavily, chests heaving with exertion. Johnny felt a languid exhaustion settle deep in his bones, it wrapped around like a warm cocoon and lulled him into numbness. He blinked away the sweat in his eyes.

Daniel looked fucked out, eyes glazed and hair plastered to his temple. Johnny would have loved to stay buried in him a while longer, but there were more important things that required his attention. He withdrew his dick slowly, careful not to hurt Daniel, and he had to bite off a moan when he felt his load trickle out of Daniel's ass and down onto his thigh.

The moment his feet touched the ground, Daniel looked down and reached for his still-hard dick— but Johnny grabbed his wrist mid-motion. Daniel's forehead creased in confusion, but then his eyes widened when he saw Johnny sink down to his knees.

Johnny held his gaze, as he took his dick in his mouth and swallowed him down. Daniel knocked his head back against the wall and bucked against him, groaning. He scrambled for purchase on Johnny's head, burying his fingers in his hair.

He was already on edge from fucking, so Johnny knew he wasn't going to last long. He drove him to the brink as many times as he could, loving the way Daniel's thighs quaked beneath his grip. Daniel held on to him, flexing his fingers like a kneading cat— until he got tired of being subject to Johnny's whims and started fucking Johnny's mouth in earnest. Johnny let him, glad that he was taking control.

Daniel snapped his hips forward once, twice, and then he was coming hard, fluid filling his mouth. Johnny swallowed, and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.

When he pushed himself to his feet, Daniel was still coming down from his orgasm, head titled back and watching Johnny through heavy-lidded eyes as he tried to catch his breath. He lifted his hand to Johnny's neck, when Johnny connected their lips.

The kiss was softer now, but no less passionate. Their tongues touched, intertwined, each exploring the other's mouth. It was a long loaded kiss that ended when Johnny released him with a pop.

As he looked into Daniel's dark eyes, his lips slowly pulled into a shit-eating grin. “Looks like I win this round.”

This time, when Daniel punched him, Johnny didn't see it coming.

“You could have just asked me to turn around, asshole.”


	2. Open Loop

Johnny sighed as he settled in the seat of the car. It had been a long day at work. He'd spent all morning and afternoon installing drywall in his client’s three-bedroom home, and the constant standing, bending and squatting meant that every muscle in his body was aching. But there was something else too— a bone-deep weariness that struck him to his core. Right before leaving, the asshole client had tried to knock down his asking price _by half_. Is this how it was going go to be until the end of his days? Working as a contractor for stuck-up clients who didn't even see the value in his labor?

It's all he could think about as he drove home. Up until the moment he stopped at a red light and a New-Jersey accent filtered through his open window, catching his attention. He turned to look; it was a middle-aged guy in a convertible, yapping on the phone about numbers. He tightened his hands on the wheel, as memories of a certain brown-eyed man wormed their way to the surface. Stupid Daniel, with his floppy hair and doe-eyes.

It had been two weeks since their casual romp at the bar. After Daniel had punched him, the man had gotten dressed and left, and in the haze of pleasure and pain, Johnny hadn't thought to ask him for his phone number. He was now beating himself up for that moment of inattention. As infuriating as he was, Daniel was ridiculously hot, and he was _different_. He didn't put on a show like most of his previous partners, he didn’t moan like a porn star or scream _fuck me daddy harder faster. _Every groan, every breath from him was earned, and it made Johnny want to discover all the other sounds he could draw out from him.

It made him curious about a lot of other things too. Like what car did Daniel drive? Johnny was willing to bet that it was a douchey sports car, with one of those gay air fresheners that smelled of pine. What foods did he like? He probably ate salads and those fake pizzas with “colorful” vegetables.

Johnny was so absorbed in his imaginary Q&A that he didn't notice the car switch into his lane until the last moment. He slammed his foot on the brakes but it was too late. His head propelled forward and the airbag released just in time to catch his face.

He groaned, awful ringing sensation in his ears. Once his head stopped spinning, he unbuckled his seatbelt and fumbled for the door handle. His neck twinged as he staggered out of the car. The cab driver got out at the same time; he was a short man with beady eyes and a balding head.

“Hey idiot! Didn't you see my turn signal?”

But Johnny was too shaken to answer. He blinked hard and his heart sank into his stomach when he saw the damage to his car. The front bumper had fallen off, and white smoke was spilling out from underneath the hood. The cab driver was still yelling, something about no-claim bonuses and premium payables.

“I don't give a shit about your insurance, asshole,” he said, annoyed.

An hour later, after a lot of cussing and gesticulating, they finished filling out all the paperwork, and Johnny called the roadside assistance hotline. When the tow truck finally came, Johnny was sitting alone on the curb, seething. He watched as the driver towed his car.

“Here's where I'll be taking it for repair,” the man said afterward, handing him the filled form with a business card.

Johnny looked down: Norouzi Auto Group. “No fucking way, man, I have my own repair guy. His name is Cruz, he’s up in Victory Boulevard—”

“This is not a McDrive, pal. Go to this dealership, or you’re not getting your car.”

And then he was slamming the door of his truck and driving away with Johnny's baby in tow.

Johnny clenched his jaw. He didn't want to go to a mega-dealership, where they charged up the ass for something that could be done for half the price at Cruz’s. He glared down at the business card, and got even more annoyed when he saw that the place was all the way up in Sherman Oaks. He turned over the card, searching for the name of the asshole who was running the dealership.

_Daniel LaRusso  
General manager_

“Well, shit.”

* * *

Jimmy offered to lend him his mother's car. It was a beat-down Volkswagen, but Johnny wasn't going to complain. As long as it got him from Point A to Point B, it's all that mattered.

“Just bring it back on Sunday, all right?” Jimmy said, as he handed him the keys. “My mom needs it for Bingo Night.”

“Don't worry about it,” Johnny said, as he opened the door of the car. “Hey, wanna meet for dinner later?”

“I can't, an old patient invited me to a barbecue,” Jimmy said, and then in a hopeful tone, “Wanna come? I'm sure they wouldn't mind.”

Jimmy worked as a mental health counselor at the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. All his old patients were ex-cons.

“I think I'll pass,” Johnny said, and he quickly got into the car before Jimmy could nag him any further.

* * *

Johnny waited a few days before going to the dealership. Even though he wanted to see Daniel, it was more important for him to finish his ongoing projects and make some money, than get his car back.

When he finally went there on a Wednesday morning, he was more than a little nervous. The muscles in his stomach clenched as he climbed out of the car. He could see from where he stood that the dealership was a nice one-story building with a floor-to-ceiling glass front. He ran his fingers through his hair, and looked down at what he was wearing. He'd dressed in his nicest blue jeans and a faded gray cotton t-shirt. Knowing full well that he looked good, he steeled himself and headed towards the entrance.

He was hit with full-blown AC the second he stepped through the door. He glanced quickly around the dealership. It was surprisingly quiet, just a few clients checking out the latest models. Before a salesman could accost him, he walked up to the reception desk where a young woman greeted him.

“Hi. Welcome to Norouzi. How can I help you?”

“I'm here about my car,” he said, handing her the filled form.

“Let me see,” she said, as she looked over the paper. She typed something on the keyboard, and smiled apologetically. “This might take a few minutes.”

He nodded and leaned with his elbow on the counter. His eyes travelled over the room, hoping to catch a glimpse of dark hair and gangly limbs, but there was still no sign of Daniel.

Though he did notice someone else, a man with thick eyebrows and deep-set eyes. Johnny recognized him from his commercials: Anoush Norouzi, owner of Norouzi Auto Group. He wore his signature tweed vest, a stiff brown fabric that matched the color of his eyes. At first, Johnny thought that Anoush was hurrying towards him, but then he realized he was actually heading towards the very pregnant woman who stood a few feet away from him.

“Amanda,” Anoush said, kissing her on the lips and then bending down to kiss her bump. “I came as fast as I could. What happened?”

“Louie just asked me if I was sure I wasn't pregnant with twins,” the woman replied in a low cheerful tone. Johnny's eyebrows flew up, and he turned his ear in their direction just in time to hear Anoush make a squeaky sound in his throat. “Yesterday, he tried to touch my bump, and the day before that, he told me to slow down on the chocolate or else I was going to get cankles.” She dropped all pretense of good humor, and lowered her voice to a furious whisper. “This is it, I am firing him.”

“No, no, no,” Anoush said, sounding worried.

“Anoush, darling. Don't say no to a pregnant lady who can crush you just by sitting on you.”

“We can't, okay? We promised Daniel we'd give him a chance.”

At the mention of Daniel's name, Johnny was embarrassed by the relief that flooded through his veins. For a moment there, he'd thought that perhaps the information on the business card had been outdated. He blinked down at the counter and returned his attention to the lovers’ spat; that’s when he realized that they’d gone completely silent.

He didn't understand why until a voice called out from across the dealership.

“Johnny. Is that you?”

He turned around, and his heart skipped a beat at the sight of the man he'd been waiting for. Daniel stood out among the slicked hairs and smarmy smiles; simply dressed in suit pants, a white collar shirt and a dark blue tie. Johnny's eyes traced over his body, heat pooling in his lower belly as he remembered what it felt like to be buried in that tight heat.

“What are you doing here?” Daniel asked, when he arrived in front of Johnny.

Johnny’s eyes snapped up. His voice was a little rough when he spoke. “Had some car trouble.”

“Car trouble?” Daniel repeated with a small crease between his eyebrows. He turned to the receptionist. “Lily, please print out for me Mr. Lawrence's file.”

“Lawrence?” Anoush asked, and Daniel jumped, like he hadn't noticed them there. “_Johnny_ Lawrence?”

“Yeah,” Johnny said uncertainly.

Anoush's jaw had gone slack with surprise, and so had Amanda’s. Johnny was about to ask _So what? _when Daniel let out a humorless chuckle and grabbed him by the elbow. “Uh, how about we go to my office?”

Johnny resisted at first but then let himself be pulled away, when he realized that Daniel's ears had gone pink at the tips.

It wasn't long before Daniel released him and led him down a hallway. Johnny watched his ass the entire way, up until the moment they arrived to a door with Daniel's name on it. He had only two seconds to take in a comfortable space with small windows before Daniel cleared his throat.

“Make yourself comfortable. Just let me go grab your file.”

“Wait, what—” Johnny started, but by the time he'd turned around, Daniel had already left. His shoulders slumped, but he didn't dwell on it too much.

He was, after all, alone in Daniel LaRusso's office.

Now, as he looked at the room, he couldn’t help but think that the Norouzis really cared about keeping Daniel as general manager. His eyes roamed over the mahogany furniture, the fancy brown leather seating, the flat screen TV; despite the sense of luxury, there was something distinctly _Daniel_ about the room, everything in perfect order, but with a feeling of worn-in comfort.

Johnny walked to the bookcase next to the sitting area, and raised his eyebrows at the sheer amount of books on display. They covered a variety of themes: cars, baseball, 80's music, karate. When he was satisfied with his observation, he shifted his attention to the knick-knacks that peppered the shelves, the odds and ends that told stories about Daniel's personal life. He was looking at a _Best Godfather Ever_ mug with hearts on it, when he heard footsteps behind him.

He turned around, just as Daniel reentered the room. The door closed behind him with a soft click.

“Why were they looking at me like that?” he asked, because the question was still there, niggling at the back of his mind. He didn't think Daniel was the type of guy to tell his bosses about his sex life, but he had obviously told them _something_.

“Who knows why they do half the things they do,” Daniel sighed, but it wasn't an answer.

Johnny watched as he adjusted his tie and took a seat in one of the armchairs. He seemed determined to ignore what had happened, and more than that, he seemed genuinely uncomfortable. Johnny took in the slightly hunched shoulders and the tightness around his mouth. It didn’t sit right with Johnny. He made his way slowly into the sitting area and sat on the end of the sofa that was closest to Daniel.

They sat in silence for a few seconds.

When Daniel realized that he wasn't going to push it any further, his shoulders visibly relaxed. He sat up straighter and looked over Johnny’s file.

“So, your car is a '84 Pontiac Firebird?” he asked, seemingly back into the game.

“Yeah. I've had it since high school.”

Jimmy thought that Johnny was clinging to the vestige of a dream, that the reason he was still hanging onto the car was because it represented a point in his life where the future seemed full of endless possibilities.

“That's pretty impressive,” Daniel said, and it sounded like he meant it. Johnny took a moment to send Jimmy a mental _fuck-you. _“It also says here you had an accident with a cab driver?” His eyes looked over Johnny. “Were you hurt?”

“No, nothing serious,” Johnny said, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees. “Just a little whiplash, but I've been getting used to that lately.”

Daniel had already returned to the file, but at the obvious allusion to the punch, his lips quirked into a small smile. No_ I__’m sorry about that,_ no _were you okay— _and Johnny loved it. This was the same Daniel who'd sprayed him with a water hose in a bathroom stall and then run off into the night. The sheer carelessness of it was enough to make the heat simmering low in Johnny’s belly turn into a roaring fire.

“Well the damage doesn’t look too bad,” Daniel said. “We just need to order a few spare parts, but if I put a step on it, I think the repair is doable in less than ten days.”

Johnny hummed. “How much are we talking?” he asked, because that’s what the crux of the matter was.

Daniel stared at him for a long time, before he spoke.

“It's on the house,” Daniel said, closing the file and standing up.

“What?” Johnny asked in confusion.

“My guys would be lucky to work on a car like that. You'd be giving them the experience.”

Johnny stood up too. “No, no, I can't accept that.”

“You can and you will,” Daniel said shortly. “Do you have another car for the time being?”

The question brought Johnny to a standstill. He considered what would happen if he said no. Daniel would probably insist on showing him second-hand cars in the parking lot, Johnny would choose the one with the most legroom. _Can I take it for a test drive? _Daniel would dig his hands into his pockets, _Sure, just let me get the keys._ Afterward, when Johnny would have driven them to a secluded spot, he’d take a crack at Daniel’s job, maybe even his appearance, and fifteen minutes later, they'd be fucking in the driver's seat, the air hot and clammy while their moans echoed around them.

Johnny blinked out of his fantasy, only to see Daniel lift an eyebrow, waiting. The problem was that Johnny couldn't wait for some elaborate scenario to unfold, not when his dick was already straining in his jeans. Not when he wanted Daniel _right_ _now_.

“Yeah, I got a car,” Johnny said, and if Daniel noticed that his voice was a little hoarse, he didn't say anything.

“Okay, great,” Daniel said, and there was something strange about his tone. He looked down, his lips drooping slightly at the sides, and Johnny didn't know if he was making things up in his head. Was Daniel disappointed? Sad? His heart hammered in his throat as Daniel fidgeted with the file and dropped it on the table. “I guess I'll give you a call when it's done.”

Johnny tensed, uncertainty twisting in his gut. Daniel walked to the door and placed his hand on the handle. “Let me know the next time—”

He didn’t finish his sentence, because the second he turned around, Johnny connected their lips together, and slammed him back against the door. He tasted a hint of coffee and peppermint before hands pressed against his chest and shoved him away.

Johnny staggered back, and then waited for the outburst of anger - _What the fuck, Johnny? This is my office, not a bar - _but Daniel didn't say anything. He just breathed heavily, and licked his lips like he was tasting Johnny. It was just a small swipe of the tongue, but it made all the blood rush to Johnny's groin.

There was no denying the lust in those dark eyes; his pupils were so dilated that Johnny couldn't even _see_ the browns of his eyes anymore.

He approached Daniel slowly. “Come on, LaRusso. Don’t tell me you haven’t thought about this,” he said, his voice thick with arousal. He placed his hands on Daniel's hips and pressed in closer, until he felt the hard line of Daniel's dick against his thigh. “I can take you the same way I took you in that dirty bathroom, hard and fast. I can still remember the way you squeezed around me, like you were desperate to keep me inside of you. Is that what you want? You want me to fuck you so hard that you'll feel me for days? So deep you'll taste me in your_ throat_?”

Johnny allowed the words to sink in for a few seconds. He was so unbelievably turned on, he didn't think he could control himself. Daniel watched him, chest rising and falling with every breath. His eyes dropped down to Johnny's mouth, and Johnny felt intoxicated, his lips tingling with anticipation.

Daniel's hand scrambled blindly behind him, and Johnny had only a split-second to register the sound of the lock turning, before Daniel grabbed him by the neck and caught his lips in a searing kiss. Johnny opened his mouth immediately, his stomach tightening as their tongues brushed against each other. He molded his body to Daniel's, deepening the kiss; and soon it grew more heated, their tongues lashing out at each other, pushing and pulling in their fight for dominance.

Johnny yanked Daniel’s shirt out of his pants, and started undoing his tie. He just wanted to get his hands on his skin. He ripped open the buttons on Daniel's shirt as he walked him backwards in direction of the desk. He could already see from the corner of his eye that there were too many things in the way, papers and accessories strewn all over the surface.

He released Daniel’s lips, and stretched out his arm-

Daniel growled, “Don't you dare—”

Johnny swiped everything off. Daniel's head snapped to the side, when he heard something hard and heavy fall on the floor. “You're buying me a new desk clock.”

“Shut up,” Johnny said, as he slammed Daniel down on the desk and started sucking on his chest.

Daniel groaned and dug his nails into Johnny's shoulders. There were still too many fucking clothes. He unbuckled Daniel's belt, and pulled off his pants and underwear along with his shoes. Daniel flushed when his cock sprung out, hard and leaking.

Johnny removed his t-shirt, as Daniel shuffled a little further up and placed his feet on the desk. Johnny hurried to take a packet of lube from his back pocket. Daniel didn't ask where it came from, he just watched with heavy-lidded eyes as Johnny ripped it open with his teeth. He coated his fingers and reached down between Daniel's thighs. He started by stretching the rim, testing the resistance. Daniel was noticeably tighter this time, and it wasn’t surprising, seeing as they were about to fuck in his workplace. He also seemed anxious, eyes darting at the door every few seconds like he expected someone to come knocking at any second.

Johnny passed his tongue over his lips, he was going to make Daniel forget all about his anxiety. He bent down and took his cock into his mouth just as he sunk in the first finger. Daniel arched his back and his hands went immediately to Johnny's hair, fingers digging into his scalp. He licked and sucked the crown, as he pushed his finger in and out of his hole. He added a second finger, and took the cock deeper in his mouth when he felt him tense up again. Daniel groaned low in his throat. He was loose and open by the time Johnny finished with the third finger, and he was restless too, bearing down every time Johnny spread his fingers inside of him.

It was going to be glorious sinking into that heat.

He let go of Daniel's cock and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. He wrestled his jeans and underwear down his thighs and slicked himself up; then he pulled Daniel's ass to the edge of the desk. He lined up with his hole, and pushed forward, watching his dick disappear into Daniel, inch by inch. Once he was buried to the hilt, he let out a shaky breath at the feeling of pure ecstasy that took over his body. He gave a few experimental thrusts, and then little by little he picked up speed.

It's only after Johnny readjusted his angle for the third time that he realized there was something wrong with the position. It had to do with the height of the table; he couldn’t bottom out every time without standing on the tips of his toes. It seemed to bother Daniel as well, because he kept tightening his legs around Johnny's back, like he was aching for him to go deeper.

Johnny stopped thrusting and leaned forward on his arms, panting. “Okay, this isn't going to work.” He could feel a Charlie's horse coming, one more thrust and his leg was going to cramp up worse than a pubescent teen discovering porn.

Daniel blinked the sweat out of his eyes. “It'll be easier if you take me from behind.”

And then the fucker was actually twisting his upper body.

“No,” Johnny said roughly, flattening Daniel against the table with his chest and fuck, he didn't mean for it come out so possessive.

Daniel raised his eyebrows, but Johnny didn’t care. He just needed five seconds to think. He wiped his forehead on his shoulder and turned his head to look at the rest of the room; the sofa was too soft, the coffee table was out of the question, he continued tracing over every available surface until his eyes zeroed in on a small oval rug in front of the bookcase.

The asshole deserved rug burn for even _suggesting_ that Johnny fuck him from behind.

“Hold on to me,” he rasped, as he positioned one hand under Daniel’s ass and one under his back.

Daniel's arms and legs wrapped around him, just as Johnny heaved him off the desk. He waddled all the way to the rug, as fast as he could with his jeans bunched around his thighs. Once he reached the edge of the rug, he held Daniel tighter against himself and knelt down, knees popping with the movement. Daniel grunted when his head hit the rug. Johnny pulled him closer by the thighs and plunged back in.

It was so much better this way. He had so much more leverage. He leaned over Daniel and pressed the palms of his hands on the rug, rolling his hips with every thrust. Daniel's every breath was a stifled moan now, desperate little huffs escaping his lungs in time with Johnny's racing hips, and he couldn't seem to _stay still. _He kept running his hands over Johnny's chest, his shoulders, down his spine, like he didn't know where to touch.

“You love this, don't you?” Johnny said, and he didn't even recognize his voice anymore. He slowed down the pace, until Daniel let out a small whine. He bit the soft spot behind his ear. “I wonder what your bosses would do if they knew you were here, getting fucked raw by a client.”

Daniel growled, and squeezed around Johnny. It was fucking _exquisite, _and it urged Johnny to pick up speed again, screwing his hips deeper inside of Daniel with every thrust. Except for their soft pants and low groans, the only sounds in the room now were the _fap-fap_ of his balls slapping against Daniel's ass. Whenever he could, he bent down and kissed Daniel's chest, licking and biting until blood rose to the surface and formed little bruises on his skin.

A few moments later, he could feel his lower belly tightening; he didn't know how much longer he could hold it off. He wrapped his fingers around Daniel's dick and started pumping. Daniel's hand came up, clasping tightly around his wrist, and Johnny loved how _responsive_ he was, how it seemed like his entire body was wired to Johnny's touch.

He could tell the exact moment Daniel was about to come, he clenched his jaw and his entire body tensed, as ropes of come splattered across his chest. The sight of him along with the pressure around Johnny's cock was enough to drive him over the edge— he squeezed his eyes shut and thrust in as deep as he could, stars bursting behind his eyelids as his cock pulsed over and over inside of Daniel.

When his cock gave its last spurt, his arms were shaking from exhaustion. He lowered himself on top of Daniel, careful to stay buried inside of him, and dipped his tongue into his mouth. The kiss was deep and slow, more breathing than anything else, as they wound down from their orgasms. He moved his hips in small circles, loving the feel of his come inside of Daniel; he could feel it trickling out of his ass with every stutter of his hips.

When somebody knocked on the door five minutes later, they were too busy necking like teenagers to give a shit.

“Dan, it's Anoush,” a voice came through the door. He tried to turn the handle, but it was locked. “Can you let me in?”

Daniel jerked back, blinking sleepily. Johnny tried to kiss him again, but he turned his head, tendons standing out in his throat. Johnny settled for sucking at the junction between his neck and shoulders. “Can you come back later?”

Anoush sighed. “Okay, you’re mad at me, and I understand why. I'm sorry about what happened earlier.”

Daniel shivered when Johnny rubbed his beard against the spot that he'd just sucked on. “Don't worry about it. Just kinda busy right now—”

“No, no, it was very unprofessional of us. It's just that, _come on_, we couldn’t help it. It was Johnny Lawrence!”

Daniel suddenly tensed underneath him. Johnny looked up at him and then at the door. The man chuckled in delight from the other side of the door. “It's been what— thirty years since you last saw him? It's just crazy, man. All those stories you told us about him— you weren't kidding about those golden locks, huh?” Johnny’s eyes snapped down to Daniel; he looked _mortified. _His face was so red, he looked like he was going to spontaneously combust. “And those blue eyes, like the sky—”

“Stop— talking!” Daniel cried out in a strangled voice.

“Sorry, sorry, you're right. We can talk about it later if you want. Don't forget about dinner tonight, alright? Mandy's making lasagna.”

Anoush gave one last tap on the door and then it was silent, as he presumably disappeared down the hallway.

Johnny had never been this happy in his life; he couldn't hide the giddiness in his voice. “Golden locks?”

Daniel dropped his head back and covered his face with his hands. His voice was muffled when he spoke. “I was drunk.”

Johnny's chest shook with laughter. Daniel shoved him off, and Johnny fell on his back, no longer able to contain himself.

He grunted when Daniel punched him in the stomach.

“Fuck you, Johnny,” Daniel said, standing up and covering himself with his hand. “You're going out by the window.”

Johnny couldn’t stop laughing, even if he wanted to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My portrayal of Amanda was inspired by libertinepast's Little Earthquakes.


	3. Standing End

A beautiful relationship thus began. Johnny returned to Daniel’s office a few more times after that; each time, they fucked even harder on the rug. Then, when his car got repaired and there was no more excuse to go to the dealership, they started meeting at the bar. They talked sometimes, had a round of drinks before heading to the back.

But mostly it was just sex.

Daniel was always prepped now. Sometimes, he wore a plug that Johnny enjoyed fucking him with for a few minutes before discarding it and entering him in one smooth motion.

Other times, Johnny would stretch him anyway. He'd sink in the first finger, and then dip in for a kiss just so he could hear Daniel's sharp intake of breath when he crooked it. Daniel was impatient, always impatient. He would grind back before Johnny had even inserted the third finger, and it drove Johnny absolutely wild, like Daniel could barely wait to take his cock.

Tonight they were supposed to meet at the bar again, and Johnny was running late. The client had asked him to repaint the deck, and usually it would have taken him less than six hours. But the client had a teen son, and the boy had spent the entire afternoon by the pool, staring at Johnny like a starving dog stares at a big, juicy steak. It was hard to be productive when he could feel hungry eyes following his every move.

His skin was still crawling when he entered the dive. He scanned the area, and despite everything, the tension drained away from his body at the sight of Daniel sitting at the bar. He wormed his way through the crowd, eager to get to him.

It's only when he neared the bar that he realized that Daniel wasn't alone.

There was a dark-haired guy with his hip cocked against the counter, talking into his ear. Johnny staggered to a halt in the middle of the bustling crowd, as an ugly sensation spread through his chest and coiled around his veins. The guy said something, and Daniel threw his head back, laughing.

He tried to calm his racing heartbeat as he approached them.

“Hey,” Johnny said, nodding at Daniel. He tried not to look at the guy.

Daniel turned around in his seat, face lighting up at the sight of Johnny. “Hey, I was waiting for you.”

“Yeah, I got held up with work,” he said, and then after a beat, “I sent you a message.”

He frowned, patting his pockets. “Oh, I guess I didn't see it.” And then realizing that he hadn't introduced him to the guy, “Johnny, this is Fred. I just ran into him. I sold him a Mercedes a few months ago.”

Fred smiled at him, a full-set of perfect white teeth. “I actually wanted to buy a BMW, but Daniel here convinced me with his wicked charms.”

Daniel rolled his eyes, but he still flushed in pleasure. “Come on, you wouldn’t have enjoyed it anyway. It wouldn’t have suited you.”

Fred looked down at his polo shirt and chinos, and laughed. “You sayin' I'm too classy for a BMW?”

As they continued talking, Johnny felt the first tendrils of anger worm their way to the surface. The guy was openly flirting, an impressive mix of faux-modesty and utter arrogance; and Daniel was doing nothing to shut him down.

“Let me get you all a drink,” Daniel said, standing to get Carl's attention.

Daniel turned his back, and Johnny watched as the guy's eyes slowly traveled down Daniel's body before settling on his ass. He licked his lips, like he couldn't believe he'd hit the jackpot.

Then, he looked up and jerked back when he noticed Johnny's death stare. His eyes darted all over Johnny, like he was trying to figure him out. Johnny could tell the exact moment Fred decided that he wasn’t a threat; he tensed and jutted his chin in his direction.

Johnny would have laughed if it was any other time. But now he only squared his shoulders and stood to his full height, which was a good five inches taller. He lifted an eyebrow, daring the asshole to do something. He was satisfied when a flash of uncertainty crossed his features.

He dropped the glare just as Daniel turned around.

“I forgot to ask. Is beer okay with you?” he asked Fred.

The guy’s eyes were still fixed on Johnny. He blinked hard, and then turned to Daniel. “I'm sorry, I— I have to go.”

“What? Can't you just stay for one drink?”

“No, I, uh, I just remembered that I have a lot of work to do,” he said, waving vaguely at the door. He sounded as convincing as a fifth-grader miscast in a school play. His shoulders slumped. “It was nice seeing you, Daniel.”

And then he turned on his heel and walked away, disappearing quickly into the crowd.

Daniel's eyebrows twisted into a frown, but he didn't look angry, just perplexed. He looked at Johnny.

“Did you say something to him?”

“Me? No,” Johnny answered casually.

He leaned against the counter and met Daniel’s eyes straight on. Daniel started to look suspicious, but Johnny didn't give a shit.

Later, when Johnny fucked him in the bathroom, he was a little rougher than usual. He held Daniel against the wall and pistoned in and out of him like a jackhammer, gripping his thighs hard enough that his knuckles turned white as bone. It was hard and fast; and right before he came, he grabbed Daniel’s dick and drove him to the brink as well.

Daniel grimaced when Johnny released his legs. His entire upper chest looked like he'd been mauled by a bear and his hair stuck out in tufts around his head. There were also very ugly bruises in the shape of fingerprints across his thighs.

Johnny looked away and concentrated on buckling his jeans. An apology rose in his throat but he swallowed it down.

Neither of them said anything as they got dressed. If anything, Johnny felt even more like shit.

* * *

“I don't know, man. Sounds to me like you're jealous.”

Sometimes, Johnny wondered why he was still friends with Jimmy. He stuffed the rest of the garlic bread into his mouth.

“Shut up, I'm not jealous,” he said with his mouth full, and leaned forward to grab a bottle of beer from the coffee table.

MacGyver was doing some weird shit on television. He was trapped in a burning building, and was probably going to try and make his way out with only a rubber band, a paper clip and a drinking straw.

“Yeah? Then how would you explain your reaction?”

Johnny opened the bottle, but he didn't drink from it right away. He shrugged. “We have a good thing going. I don't want anything to get in the way of that.”

“You don't want—” Jimmy repeated before cutting himself off.

Johnny tensed, knowing what was coming.

Sure enough, Jimmy slowly put down his slice of pizza.

“Johnny,” and oh God, he was even using his _therapist_ voice. “Jealousy is a normal part of any relationship, and you're only human. The sooner you accept these feelings, the better off you'll be.” Then, he paused. “Maybe you should take him out for dinner.”

“Who, Fred?” Johnny asked, staring down at his beer with hunched shoulders.

“What?” Jimmy asked, and then in a tone like he knew what Johnny was doing. “No, _Daniel_.”

“Why would I do that?”

“Because that’s what you do when you’re an adult. You go out on dates.”

That snapped him out of his thoughts. He scoffed, and finally took a swig of beer. “Dates are for pussies.”

He could practically _hear_ Jimmy roll his eyes. “Listen, do you want to continue having sex with the guy or not?”

Johnny choked on his beer, and covered his mouth with his hand.

His mind scrambled for an answer, as he wiped his chin with a tissue. Jimmy didn’t know what he was talking about. He and Daniel had an unspoken agreement with each other. Yeah, a guy had flirted with him at the bar, and_ yeah, _Daniel hadn’t done anything to stop him. But would Daniel have really slept with him?

_Maybe,_ his mind supplied unhelpfully.

Johnny stared down at the floor and thought about sex with Daniel, how different it was from everyone else. He didn’t want it to stop. He loved the way Daniel rolled his hips in search for pleasure, desperate little huffs of breath escaping him with every thrust. How he sometimes begged Johnny to take it slow, like he wanted to feel every ridge, every vein on his cock. And then there was the way he sometimes let Johnny circle his fingers around his neck, applying the smallest pressure, because it made him clench harder, a tight, searing heat—

“Earth to Johnny,” Jimmy said loudly.

Johnny blinked out of his fantasy, and tried to adjust himself as discretely as possible. “What?”

“Ask him - out - to dinner,” Jimmy said in a firm voice, before returning to MacGyver.

* * *

The line went silent for a few seconds.

“Dinner?” Daniel repeated, like he was sure he'd misheard. “Why?”

Johnny didn't expect the question. His brain scrambled for something to say. At the end, he settled for—

“Why not?”

Apparently, his flawless logic was good enough to convince Daniel.

“Okay,” he said slowly. “Yeah, sure. Is tomorrow night okay for you?”

“Yeah. I'll send you a message with the time and place.”

Johnny shut the phone, feeling suddenly nervous. He honestly hadn't thought Daniel would say yes. Now he had to find a place to eat. He called Jimmy to ask for some ideas.

When he didn’t answer on the fourth ring, Johnny scrolled through his contacts and called Jimmy's mom instead.

Sue had the _best_ recommendations.

He ended up picking a lakeside restaurant on Ventura Boulevard with outdoor seating and live music. He sent Daniel a message with the address and the time; he received a confirmation two minutes later.

The next day was a whirlwind. He powered through three rounds of taping, mudding and sanding drywall, only to be told by the client that he also needed additional work in the kitchen. When he got home, he was caked in so much dust that he needed fifteen minutes to get it out of his hair alone. He showered, got dressed, and headed back out.

When he arrived to the restaurant, Daniel was already waiting for him.

“Hey,” Daniel said, and Johnny drank in the sight of him. He looked so hot, dressed in dark jeans and a black dress shirt that hung open at the collar.

Daniel seemed like he was appreciating the view as well, his gaze lingering on the wide expanse of Johnny's chest and the dip of his throat.

The restaurant was full and the outdoor deck was packed. Johnny thanked his lucky stars that he'd thought to reserve, as the waiter led them to their table. They sat down opposite each other, and were handed the menus.

“Have you ever been here before?” Johnny asked.

Daniel dimpled a cheek. “No, but I've heard good things about it.”

Johnny nodded, and they both took a moment to admire the lake that spread out like a blue sheet in front of him. It was so strange meeting Daniel somewhere other than the office or the bar. Usually, their encounters were planned with the sole intention of fucking.

“So how's work?” he asked Daniel, once they’d placed their orders.

“Good, a little hectic. We're opening a new dealership in North Hollywood, so I'm commuting a lot. How about you?”

Johnny shrugged. “Same asshole clients.”

“Yeah?” Daniel asked, and then he seemed to hesitate. “We're actually searching for a contractor to do some work in the new dealership. My cousin Louie used to be in charge but... let's just say it didn't pan out. Would you be interested?”

The name rung a bell, but he didn’t dwell too much on it. “Yeah, sure.”

It just meant more places for him to have sex with Daniel.

Their drinks came, and they made small talk until the food arrived. It started with mundane subjects like sports and music, but little by little the alcohol loosened their tongues and minds. One conversation led to another, and soon Daniel was talking about his personal life; what it was like growing up in New Jersey, how his father died when he was eight years old and it was only him and his mom for the longest time. He spoke about summer road trips on the east coast and nights spent stargazing in his neighbor’s backyard.

In turn, Johnny found himself opening up as well; talking about growing up with Sid, his daily struggle with the man's verbal abuse, the mercy that came to him in the form of John Kreese.

He didn't linger on the part where Kreese nearly choked him to death in the parking lot. He didn't need to. Daniel had been there during one of the most defining moments of Johnny's life. Kreese, the All-Valley Tournament, what had happened afterward… Johnny didn't need to explain the whats and the whys, Daniel _understood_.

By the time they'd finished the main course, Johnny realized that he didn't want the evening to end. He was enjoying himself. So he ignored the fullness of his stomach and ordered desert; a chocolate lava cake and a rustic apple tart which they set in the middle of the table and shared.

When the waiter placed the small tray on the table, both their hands snapped out to grab the check.

“I’m inviting,” Johnny said.

“No, I can’t let you—”

“Yes, you can. Let go of the check.”

If anything, his grip tightened. “How about we just split it—”

“No—”

“Come on, we can just—”

“_Daniel,_” he said, and Daniel’s voice cut off, his face going red. Johnny could count on one hand the number of times he’d called him by his name. Then, in a quieter voice, “Please, it’s on me.”

He relented, slowly letting go of the check. Johnny took out his card.

There was park close by, but it was closed at this time of night, so Daniel suggested that they walk around the block instead. Johnny said okay, but five minutes into the walk, he couldn't take it anymore. Fire had already been simmering low in his belly, and now it licked at his veins as Daniel's voice washed over him. He looked around him quickly. When he didn't see anyone, he grabbed Daniel by the wrist and pulled him in-between two buildings. It was a small dingy alley.

He wrapped an arm around Daniel's waist and connected their lips together. Daniel immediately kissed back, burying a hand into his beard, as Johnny pushed him against the wall. Daniel arched his back, letting Johnny feel the hardness of his dick. Johnny loved that they were the same height, the way their legs tangled, and their entire bodies touched from head to toe.

He explored Daniel's mouth, licked the roof of his mouth, and teased him with the edge of his teeth. He kissed him until his head started spinning.

When Johnny finally released him, he stayed close enough that he could feel Daniel's every exhale like a fiery trail across his lips.

“I love kissing you,” he breathed out, and holy shit, he was drunk.

Daniel's eyes were fixed on his lips, his pupils blown. “Yeah.”

He was so turned on, feeling Daniel's lithe body against his. He wished he could rip off his clothes and take him then and there in the dirty alleyway. Daniel licked his lips like he was thinking the same thing.

Johnny swayed forward, and then just as they were about to reconnect, a laugh interrupted them. He straightened up.

It was a group of men, three to be exact. They passed by the alley, and the last of the gang noticed them in the shadows; he caught the other two by the arms.

“Look at here,” the man said. He was short and bald with arms full of tattoos. “It seems we interrupted the ladies.”

Johnny stepped away from the heat of Daniel's body. “Got a problem?”

“Yeah, dickhead. Nobody wants to see fucking homos kissing in the street.”

Another one of them made a gagging noise, and Johnny clenched his fists.

“Seems to me we were minding our own business, and you came in here looking for us. So how about you get out of our faces?”

“It seems Blondie's the one with the balls in the relationship,” another guy said, and they all laughed like idiots.

“Yeah, well at least my balls are between my legs. Not like that wrinkly, old nutsack you call a head.”

The laughter died.

“What did you say?” the man growled, stepping closer until they were only a few feet apart.

Johnny bared his teeth, and took a step forward. “You heard me.”

Daniel inserted himself between them with his arms spread wide. He had a placating smile on his face.

“Okay, let's calm down.” Then he chuckled, the way he always did when he was trying to take control of a situation. “My friend and I had a little too much to drink. We were just about to leave.”

He clasped a hand around Johnny's wrist, and Johnny was surprised by the strength of his grip. He let himself be dragged away, but just at that moment one of the guys stood in front of him to block his way.

“Gonna let your girlfriend defend you?”

Johnny swung his arm and punched him in the jaw. Daniel released him in shock, as the guy fell down like a ton of bricks. Johnny stumbled forward as a beefy arm snaked around his neck, he threw his head back and connected with the guy's nose. He turned around just in time to see the third guy's fist aimed at his face, sending him sprawling to the ground.

Daniel hurried to his side. “Hey, you okay?”

He opened his mouth, just as a hand grabbed Daniel by the shoulder. Daniel staggered back and before the guy could punch him, Daniel struck him with an elbow to the face and kneed him in the gut. Johnny scrambled to his feet, when he saw that the last guy was about to jump Daniel. But Daniel turned around just in time to punch him in the jaw. The guy bent over at the waist, but he recovered quickly. Johnny kicked him in the face, just as he charged toward him.

When all the guys were down, they were both standing back to back, panting heavily. Daniel reached blindly behind him, and grabbed him by the palm of the hand.

“Come on,” he said, as he set off into the street. He released his hand soon after; they ran and ran until a black sports car came into view.

“Get into the car,” Daniel said.

They climbed in, the sound of their doors closing at the same time. And then they just sat there, trying to catch their breaths. Johnny buried his face in his hands, his limbs shaking with leftover adrenaline. He couldn't believe what had just happened.

_Not like that wrinkly, old nutsack you call a head._

Is that really what he'd said?

Before he knew it, laughter was bubbling in his chest. He attempted to swallow it down but it ripped out of his throat, echoing in the car. He dropped his hands and looked at Daniel, who seemed shocked at first.

But then the tension melted from his face, and he laughed too.

“Come on, let's go to my house,” he said, as he started the engine.

* * *

Daniel's place was a two-bedroom home on a quiet street with a small fenced back yard. The inside was rich and cozy, with wooden accents on all the walls. Daniel turned on the light of the living room, and waved a hand at the sofa.

“Sit down, while I get the first-aid kit,” Daniel said, before heading inside.

Johnny nodded and sat down carefully, his groin throbbing with the movement. Now that the adrenaline was gone, he could feel every aching, burning pain in his body. He pressed his fingers into the soft spot between his thigh and his crotch, groaning. Daniel walked back into the room.

“I think I pulled a muscle in my groin,” Johnny said.

Daniel winced. He placed the kit on the coffee table and sat on the edge of the sofa. Johnny watched as he worked; taking out a few cotton balls, and covering them in antiseptic cream.

He twisted his upper body and started wiping Johnny's cheek. It stung like hell, the guy must have been wearing a ring, but Johnny breathed through the pain. It felt good to be taken care of, to be coddled even though he was a grown man.

It also allowed him to stare at Daniel for the first time without restraint.

In the low light of the room, Daniel looked unreal, almost like a ghost from the past. Johnny admired the smooth angle of his jaw, the softness of his half-parted lips, the way his eyelashes fluttered when he blinked. There was a line on his forehead, it was deeper than the rest, and it ran along the length of his eyebrow; Johnny wished he could trace it with the soft pad of his finger.

“What?” Daniel asked, feeling the weight of his stare.

“When did you go from teenage pipsqueak to adult bad-ass?”

Daniel's lips curled on one side, simple as that, and Johnny felt a surge of _something_ inside of him. Before he could question it, he leaned forward and placed a dry kiss on the corner of his mouth. Daniel went very still.

Johnny drew away, his heart pounding in his throat. Daniel was staring at him, dark eyes burning into him. He lowered his hand and dropped the used cotton balls on the coffee table. Then, he threaded his fingers through Johnny's hair, scratching his blunt nails in Johnny's scalp and connected their lips.

The kiss was slow, thorough and deep. Their tongues brushed against each other, and Johnny's belly tightened in arousal. After a while, he tugged on Daniel’s elbow, insistent. He swung a leg over Johnny’s thighs and straddled him.

It quickly got heated after that, as Daniel started rolling his hips against him and sucking on his tongue. Johnny felt like he was on fire, pinpricks of heat racing through his veins. His dick strained in his jeans, and he rutted as best as he could despite the pain.

Suddenly Daniel jerked back, panting. His eyes were glazed, lips red and swollen. He stood up, and started shedding his clothes, first his dress shirt, then his shoes and his pants, until he stood naked and erect in the living-room. He grabbed a packet of lube from his discarded jeans, ripped it open with his teeth and climbed back into Johnny’s lap. He sat up on his knees, reached a hand behind himself and started prepping himself.

Johnny lay back and adjusted himself. Usually he loved prepping Daniel, but fuck, it was so sexy watching him do it himself. He was quicker and more impatient too; fingering himself with expert, precise movements. By the time he was done, his cheeks were flushed and there was a light sheen of sweat on his forehead. With trembling hands, he removed Johnny's shirt and unbuckled his jeans, shoving them down his thighs.

Johnny's breath hitched when Daniel fisted his dick, covering him with lube. He positioned the head against his rim and then he sank down, taking him inch by inch. He went slowly, so fucking slow. Johnny stretched his neck back and breathed deeply through his nose, unable to handle the searing heat that surrounded him. He was starting to think that Daniel hadn’t used a third finger, because he felt impossibly tight.

When his ass was flush with his hips, Daniel's head fell forward, his entire body clenching and unclenching, like he needed time to get used to the fullness. Johnny released his hips and stroked Daniel's thighs, up and down, over and over, feeling the muscle beneath his fingertips.

When Daniel finally moved, it was achingly slow. He raised himself up on his knees, his legs shaking, until the tip rested against his entrance, and then slammed down, drawing a low moan out of Johnny. He did it again before Johnny could even catch his breath, picking up speed as he went along.

He was beautiful, the way he rode Johnny’s dick like he was born to do it. All that raw power contained in his wiry body. Johnny didn't think he'd ever get enough of this. Daniel's muscles bunched with every thrust, as he started moving harder, grinding his hips with every downward motion.

After a while, Daniel’s head fell back in ecstasy and Johnny's memory jolted at the sight. His mind flashed back to that night at the bar, the way the guy had talked in Daniel’s ear, making him throw his head back in laughter. Johnny could still remember how the guy had licked his lips afterward, like he thought he was getting lucky that night. If Johnny hadn’t shown up, would it have been Fred fucking Daniel right now? Would Daniel be sinking down on Fred's dick, making the same sounds?

Johnny's breathing was getting more labored, and it wasn't from exertion anymore. There was that awful sensation in his chest again, it pressed down on him, suffocating him. He couldn't stand it anymore. He blinked the sweat out of his eyes, and surged forward to clamp his arms around Daniel’s waist.

Daniel's hips stuttered to a stop, and Johnny pressed his damp forehead against his shoulder, panting. Daniel stayed still, like he knew this wasn’t part of the game.

Johnny bit his lip, feeling suddenly unsure. He was never good with words. He knew how to throw verbal jabs, hit people where it hurt. But he never had the right words when it mattered.

“Do you think—” he couldn't even look at Daniel. “Should we— should we start using condoms?”

Daniel tensed, and Johnny wanted to slap himself; it was such a _stupid_ thing to say, especially when he was balls deep inside of him. Suddenly, a hard hand pushed at his chest, as Daniel struggled against him, trying to get out of his grip. Johnny clamped his arms tighter.

“No, no, that's not what I meant. I get tested regularly. What I mean is—” Daniel stopped moving, his whole body taut as he waited. Fuck, Johnny felt _vulnerable_. He took a deep breath, and looked up. Daniel was staring at him with alert eyes. He spoke slowly, “I never thought of using condoms, because I assumed you’d tell me if there was… anything. Or anyone. I just want to make sure we’re on the same page.”

Daniel stared at him for a long time, his ragged breathing slowing down as he took in Johnny's words. Somehow, Johnny was still buried inside of him.

“No,” Daniel said in a low voice. The tip of his tongue darted out and he licked his lips. “There's nobody else. You?”

This was usually the moment where Johnny made a shitty joke.

Instead, he shook his head, and swallowed thickly. “No. Only you.”

Daniel studied Johnny for a few moments, like he was gauging his sincerity. He must have been satisfied with what he saw, because his walls relaxed around Johnny, and he leaned forward to kiss him; a pure, captivating warmth that tasted of relief. Johnny also felt like a weight had been taken off his shoulders as well.

The talk had somewhat killed their erections, but Johnny was determined to fix that. He poured all of his energy into the kiss, licking and biting at his mouth, and then moved to Daniel’s neck, where he paid full attention to the space where his neck met his shoulders. He let the bristles of his beard scrape over tender skin. Daniel shuddered in pleasure, but his dick was still a little too soft for Johnny's liking.

It's only when he reached a hand toward Daniel's ass and felt how his rim was stretched around Johnny's dick that Daniel’s entire body jolted. He tried to escape the pressure, but Johnny just shushed him and held him tighter. He played with the rim, tugging and pulling, until Daniel started grinding his hips in desperate circles, and leaking precome against his belly.

Once he was primed and ready, Johnny hooked his hands around Daniel's back and onto his shoulders, and started thrusting. He was in so much pain, his groin burning with every snap of his hips, but he didn't care. He pushed Daniel down with every thrust, the sound of skin slapping against skin filling the space between them, a cacophony of sensations and sounds that sent ripples of pleasure down his spine.

Daniel's dick was trapped between them, and he kept rolling his hips in a frantic bid to get more friction. Johnny could tell that he was close, his muscles bunched and his breath hitched every few seconds like the air was getting caught in his throat.

He tried to sneak a palm around his dick, but Johnny pushed his hand away and wrenched him closer.

“No,” Johnny said roughly. “You don't need it.”

Daniel's face crumpled. He looked like he was so fucking close, his teeth set on edge as Johnny struck that sweet spot inside of him with every upward thrust of his hips.

“Come on baby, you can do it,” Johnny said, and then he leaned forward and sucked on Daniel's clavicle, tasting salt and sweat on his skin. He curled his toes, he was so close too, but he needed Daniel to come first. “Come on, you're almost there. I can feel it.”

Daniel whined, and fuck, he just needed a little help.

It was a mercy when Johnny bared his teeth and bit down on his chest.

Daniel’s nails dug into his shoulders, his belly went rock hard, and then he was coming. He opened his mouth in a ragged sob, as strings of come shot between the two of them. The pressure around Johnny was so intense; he thrust in one last time and held himself deep inside Daniel’s body as he came, hips stuttering as he filled him up.

When his dick gave a final twitch, he fell back on the sofa, Daniel collapsing on top of him. They were both panting like they'd run a marathon, slick and sweat gluing their bodies together.

Johnny gripped Daniel by the back of his neck, and moved his head so that he could kiss him. He licked into his mouth, their breaths mingling as they came down from their orgasms.

_There's nobody else._

The words rang in his head like a promise.

* * *

Later that night, Johnny made Daniel come two more times with just his fingers and his tongue.

He had to make sure that Daniel didn't regret his decision.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for reading! Even though these three chapters stand alone, the story was originally meant to be five chapters long. I might continue the fic at a later stage. *:･ﾟ✧


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